Business
Apple is a very renowned company which has been manufacturing high-quality products such as laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets. The most popular products by Apple include iPhone, Mac, iPod, Apple watch etc.
Social Media and Apple
We know that every organization makes use of social media to communicate the target market about its products and services such that it stands out in the competition. Due to change in lifestyle, people rely on social media more for getting informed about a product and the image of an organization. Competitors of Apple such as Samsung, Qmobile, and others are also making use of social media marketing to stay connected to their customers. Apple does social media marketing quite differently because the marketing team at Apple believes that like other brands, Apple cannot and should not take make use of social media for carrying out its marketing activities. This belief can be considered as acceptable sometimes but then customers who are fond of technology wish to talk about Apple in the same way they discuss other manufacturers.
Apple believes in the idea that the companies who travel the road which is mostly followed by others cannot always succeed because this way, they lose their unique selling proposition and adopt only the common strategies. No wonder presence of companies on social media is necessary but Apple does not solely rely on social media for its marketing efforts.
Recently, Apple developed its digital media marketing department and hired Musa Tariq from Nike to look after its social media and digital marketing campaigns. Even then, the stance of Apple on social media for the promotion of its products is limited. The Apple iTunes page on Tumblr has been created and managed successfully. This allows Apples to have its presence on social media and this way Apple entices those who are dependent on opinions of people on social media for adopting or refraining from a product. In China, where the number of customers are increasing day by day and where new social networking platforms are being continuously introduced, Tim Cook has decided to join Weibo, a popular social networking platform so as to stay connected with the Chinese customers and keep them informed about upcoming projects and strategies of Apple (Kapko 25).
Is Apple not social?
The question “Is Apple not social?” is of much concern for the customers. Customers of Apple sometimes become unhappy when they see that their fellows who use products by other manufacturers can engage in discussions with other users as well as official representatives of manufacturers to talk about the latest gadgets, issues faced by gadget usage and their solutions. Basically, the social media strategy of Apple is quite a different from its competitors and this is one factor which makes it stand out from competition.
Apple believes in the idea that the continuous advancements in technology are taking place and research and development team is trying its best to inject the element of innovation into Apple products. Other manufacturers rely on the feedback and opinions of customers and make improvements accordingly but Apple disagrees here. Apple holds the notion that organizations let the customer know what they want. When Apple manufactures its new products and then launches them into the market, it uses it marketing techniques and communication strategies to inform the customers that this is the new product and features the customers had been looking for. This means that it is the job of organizations to create products and services and then portray these offerings to customers in such a way that the customers adopt the products.
Apple prefers not to connect with its customers through social media because Apple considers itself as an elegant brand and in order to live up to this brand perception, Apple limits its social media presence. Apple does not want to be perceived as a common brand like other manufacturers. Since Apple wishes to maintain competitive advantage and a strong reputation in the global business arena, so it limits engaging with customers on social media.
Customer Relationship Management and Social Media
Many organizations view social media as a great tool for customer relationship management because social media allows organisations to get into direct touch with the customers. Many organizations further believe that social media allows them to hear the voice of customers and the feedback from customers helps in strengthening relationships. Apple maintains a one to one relationship with customers because this way the relationship lasts longer and strengthens with time. The services offered to customers at Apple retail stores are unique and efficient and helps in gaining customer loyalty and trust. Developing and maintaining long-term relationship with customers is the prime objective for Apple which it cannot achieve by relying on social media. The presence of Apple on social media is necessary but the extent to which Apple depends on digital marketing for the purpose of gaining success is limited which is perfectly in line with the ultimate goals and objectives of the company.
Reference
Kapko, Matt. "Inside Apple's odd, yet effective, social media strategy" CIO. CIO, 2 Sept 2015. Web. 25 July 2016.
